Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

Discussion forum for the various methods and structures used for getting an early start on your growing season, extending it for several weeks or even year 'round.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old February 8, 2016   #106
Cole_Robbie
Tomatovillian™
 
Cole_Robbie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
Default

Menard's sells guy wire:

http://www.menards.com/main/tools-ha...25420272972342

And loop the ends together with a clamp like this, right?
http://www.menards.com/main/tools-ha...45070526775110
Cole_Robbie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 8, 2016   #107
Worth1
Tomatovillian™
 
Worth1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
Default

Here is a drawing.
The lines at angles are your wires rope chains cables or what ever.
Worth

Cole Greenhouse cable force.r.jpg
Worth1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 8, 2016   #108
Worth1
Tomatovillian™
 
Worth1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
Default

You could use that it would be strong as all get out.
Use two of the cable clamps at each loop.
I can braid loops/eyes in the stuff.
If you want to get fancy you can get small turnbuckles.

Worth
Worth1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 10, 2016   #109
Starlight
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: AL
Posts: 1,993
Default

Nice looking new tunnel your building. Sure will be something to see when you finish it. : )

Besides the bracing, how do you plan to keep the snow load off. I know you said you would have your step dad go out and clean it, good idea, but I tend to agree with Helmann's that as that snow melts and refreezes that it will stick and not slide down. 17' that is along way up and a whole lot of room in a gh that size to try and heat.

Just out of curiosity, have you figured about what it would cost to cover your new tunnel yet?

What do you call them braces on the one pic that have the flat ends to them?
Starlight is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 10, 2016   #110
Cole_Robbie
Tomatovillian™
 
Cole_Robbie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
Default

Thanks. Plastic, just for one layer, is going to run about $800-900. I want the opaque stuff that is on my current high tunnel. "Infrared control" is how the manufacturer terms it. It will also have the condensation control feature, which makes water run down the inside instead of dripping on the plants.

Right now, I'm thinking five x-trusses total, on each end rafter and then every fourth one. Guy wires can cross in an X over each untrussed span.

As for the short pieces in those trussed arches...idk what they are called. They look like struts off a car suspension to me.

Huge snowfalls are rare for my area. Last winter was a bad one for ice storms, but I've had almost zero snow this year. A foot of snow falling here should be a once every 10-15 year event.
Cole_Robbie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 10, 2016   #111
BigVanVader
Tomatovillian™
 
BigVanVader's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Greenville, South Carolina
Posts: 3,099
Default

Quote:
Plastic, just for one layer, is going to run about $800-900
Dang, that is expensive!
BigVanVader is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 10, 2016   #112
Worth1
Tomatovillian™
 
Worth1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by BigVanVader View Post
Dang, that is expensive!

I know that is why I haven't built one I'm holding out for glass.

Worth
Worth1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 10, 2016   #113
PureHarvest
Tomatovillian™
 
PureHarvest's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b
Posts: 1,369
Default

This stuff?

http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies...oductId=367416
PureHarvest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 10, 2016   #114
Cole_Robbie
Tomatovillian™
 
Cole_Robbie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
Default

http://www.warpbros.com/flex-o-glass/gnhse.html
https://www.hummert.com/product-deta...ensate-control

My first greenhouse has the clear Sunmaster film that Farmtek sells. It has help up fairly well. The seams are a little weak. I'm going into year 5 with it. In early spring, when raising starter plants, I need the extra warming effect of the clear film. But by early June when the temps hit the 90's, the clear film is misery to be under, for people or plants.
Cole_Robbie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 10, 2016   #115
PureHarvest
Tomatovillian™
 
PureHarvest's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b
Posts: 1,369
Default

I meant to ask the other day what you meant by seams.
Where the wiggle wire locks it into the channel?
PureHarvest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 10, 2016   #116
Cole_Robbie
Tomatovillian™
 
Cole_Robbie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
Default

When they manufacture greenhouse plastics, it's done in rolls that are, I'd guess 10-12' or so wide. Then to make wider widths, they heat-seam it together. My 20' plastic has two seams going down it longways, one on each side. That's the weak part of the plastic. It comes apart at the seams first, long before wearing any other place. I could probably just run 2x4s down those seams to hold them together and get another few years out of my plastic.
Cole_Robbie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 10, 2016   #117
PureHarvest
Tomatovillian™
 
PureHarvest's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Mid-Atlantic right on the line of Zone 7a and 7b
Posts: 1,369
Default

Gotcha. Never noticed.
I always replaced before I had that issue, so my attention was never drawn to it.
PureHarvest is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 13, 2016   #118
AKmark
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Wasilla Alaska
Posts: 2,010
Default

All of my greenhouses have two layers of 6 mil greenhouse cover, the key is a poof fan to inflate the layers. This doubles R value and makes them nearly indestructible against snow and high winds. I live in an area where we have several severe wind storms every year, some are around 100 mile an hour wind. After several years I am still shocked to have never lost a top.
AKmark is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 13, 2016   #119
Cole_Robbie
Tomatovillian™
 
Cole_Robbie's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Illinois, zone 6
Posts: 8,407
Default

I've seen pics of an Amish design. It was a big funnel mounted like a weather vane that would spin to catch the wind, then that air was piped by dryer hose to inflate the two layers. When a strong gust of wind hit, the plastic would inflate the tightest, making it stronger when the wind was stronger. It looked like a brilliant idea.
Cole_Robbie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 13, 2016   #120
Hellmanns
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: kentucky
Posts: 1,116
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie View Post
I've seen pics of an Amish design. It was a big funnel mounted like a weather vane that would spin to catch the wind, then that air was piped by dryer hose to inflate the two layers. When a strong gust of wind hit, the plastic would inflate the tightest, making it stronger when the wind was stronger. It looked like a brilliant idea.
Got any pics or links? Sounds interesting..
Hellmanns is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 12:43 AM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★